POSITION OVERVIEW
Since 1996, the Center for Craft has been a driving force behind the preservation and innovation of craft. We catalyze the field through grants and fellowships to artists and scholars, exhibitions in our downtown Asheville gallery, and public programs that tell the story of how and why craft matters. The Development Manager is a key part of the Center for Craft’s dedicated team, with exposure to all aspects of the organization’s work. They establish and maintain the systems and relationships that enable our success.

In partnership with the Director of Development & Marketing, the Development Manager creates and executes an annual fundraising plan and related appeals to raise 20% or more of the Center for Craft’s annual operating budget. The Development Manager maintains backend fundraising systems, serves as a philanthropic ambassador for the organization, and supports the organization’s directors in cultivating relationships and expanding donor awareness and engagement.

The Development Manager expands the Center’s donor base by diversifying funding across individual giving (from membership to major gifts), family foundation grants, and corporate support. They steward the planning and execution of fundraising and cultivation events, support board engagement in fundraising, and produce compelling campaign and marketing materials to maximize prospect and donor engagement. The position is complemented by a Grants Manager peer focused on institutional fundraising.

Compensation: This position is full-time and exempt, with occasional evenings/weekends, and reports to the Director of Development & Marketing. The starting salary is $60,000, with full benefits including Medical/Dental, Life Insurance, LTD and STD, and 401K, as well as three weeks of paid leave and recognized federal holidays. This position is required to work on site. Relocation assistance is not available.

Deadline: Applications will be accepted through February 22, 2026.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES
Annual Fundraising Plan and Special Events (45%)

Convey the meaning and importance of the Center for Craft’s mission and vision to prospects, donors, members, partners, and sponsors
Establish and maintain a communications plan and timeline for donor and member outreach, including creating automated workflows and tasks within the Center’s database and other systems
Plan and execute fundraising appeals to grow the Center’s individual giving and membership, corporate partnerships, and private foundation grants, including segmenting donors, creating mailing lists, setting targeted ask levels, coordinating phone calls, processing and acknowledging gifts, and producing reports
Serve as lead for the planning and execution of 2–3 fundraising and stewardship events per year, including coordinating contractors and tracking performance
Solicit corporate sponsorships and secure in-kind donations
Provide support during programs and community engagement activities with special attention to donors
Engage and manage consultants and contractors; manage volunteers as necessary

Technology and Reporting (25%)

With Director of Development & Marketing, establish fundraising dashboard and provide monthly progress reports on key metrics
Track and reconcile annual donations, pledges, and memberships to ensure gifts are properly recorded and coded
Automate processes to manage recurring gifts and memberships to grow retention and renewal rates
Create and track pledge installments and reminders
Update and maintain donor records to ensure accuracy of lists
Create and update public-facing forms and work with web developer to create frictionless solutions for donors and members
Maintain annual charitable solicitation licenses through Affinity

Stewardship: Donor Prospecting and Cultivation (20%)

Implement a year-round stewardship plan for donors of all giving levels by recognizing the impact of gifts, communicating progress and results, inspiring involvement, and ensuring a quality experience
Update and maintain moves management grid and assign tasks to Directors to cultivate relationships
Collect and record contact reports in donor database to track relationships
Draft and review funder proposals and reports
Prepare prospect profiles and research to support individual solicitations

Additional Development Support (10%)

Reconcile check deposits and donations weekly
Prepare fundraising expense and income projections for quarterly board reports
Prepare contractor and vendor agreements as needed
Assist with other projects as needed

QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate will have a bachelor’s degree in the liberal arts or other relevant field and 4+ years of nonprofit fundraising experience focused on individual donors at organizations with budgets over $1 million. Candidates should understand philanthropic trends and best practices in donor-centered fundraising. Experience in fundraising for the arts and/or craft fields strongly preferred.

Candidates should also demonstrate a can-do attitude, an entrepreneurial approach, and a motivation for growth. They will be versatile and equally comfortable as an event organizer, collateral writer, and database manager. The following skills, qualities, and experiences are also a priority:

Skill cultivating and soliciting individuals and corporate sponsors of $5,000 or more
Experience growing and diversifying revenue sources, as well as engaging and developing staff and volunteers in fundraising efforts
Background in and passion for the arts; familiarity with the field of craft
Outgoing demeanor and an ability to professionally and confidently build trust and represent the Center for Craft to all public constituencies
High level of discretion in dealing with sensitive donor information
Excellent written and verbal communication skills; strong copyediting skills
Highly collaborative, both with internal teams as well as external partners
Extensive project management experience
Strong organizational skills
Ability to prioritize and work on multiple projects simultaneously within limited timeframes
Advanced technical knowledge, including Google Suite; Microsoft Office; Little Green Light or similar database experience; and web, email, and social media publishing
Basic layout and design skills
Careful attention to detail

The Center for Craft is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate against any individual or group based on age, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or Veteran status. The Center encourages applications from candidates who can complement the Center for Craft’s Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion work by offering unique perspectives and understanding of issues impacting groups traditionally underrepresented in the ﬁeld. Applying does not constitute a promise or guarantee of employment.

Center for Craft

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Development Manager